Effect of sorghum flour-containing pasta on postprandial glycemia, appetite and energy intake in healthy individuals

In vitro studies suggest that incorporating sorghum flour into staple foods including pasta reduces their starch digestibility and hence may suppress postprandial blood glucose levels, appetite and energy intake; however, these effects in humans have yet to be reported. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of red and white sorghum-containing pasta on blood glucose response, appetite and energy intake in humans.

In a randomised crossover design, healthy individuals (n = 20) consumed the following three iso-caloric test meals (each providing 50 g available carbohydrates) as breakfast: control pasta (CP) made from100% durum wheat; 30% red sorghum pasta (RSP) and; 30% white sorghum pasta (WSP). Blood glucose and subjective appetite were measured postprandially for 2 and 3 h, respectively. Energy intakes from ad libitum lunch consumed 3 h after breakfast and for the remainder of the day were also measured. Incremental areas under or over the curves (iAUCs/iAOCs) for blood glucose and appetite parameters were calculated.

The RSP meal resulted in significantly lower blood glucose response (–0.35 ± 0.09 mmol/l; 95% CI: –0.61 ~ –0.09; P = 0.005) and glucose iAUC over 120 min (–36.11 ± 10.53 mmol/l × min; 95% CI: –67.11 ~ –5.11; P = 0.017) compared to CP meal. Compared to CP meal, the RSP meal resulted in significantly higher satiety iAUC (1219.46 ± 383.26 mm × min; 95% 91.18 ~ 2347.75; P = 0.029), lower hunger iAOC (–1410.47 ± 349.14 mm x min; 95% CI: –2438.30 ~ –382.63; P = 0.004) and lower prospective food intake iAOC (–1645.73 ± 324.14 mm x min; 95% CI: –2599.97 ~ –691.49; P < 0.001). Energy intake at ad libitum lunch was significantly lower after the RSP meal than after the CP meal (–794.17 ± 163.25 kJ; 95% CI: –1274.77 ~ –313.57; P = 0.001).

The results indicate that red sorghum addition into pasta provides a product inducing reduced glycemia, favourably changed appetite parameters and decreased subsequent energy intake.